The Weekly Word

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

“he had an unending commitment to make Johnson County the kindest, the most faithful, and most just place to live.” –Rev. tom ARE

After the 11 a.m. worship service at the Mission Campus, Pastor Rodger Nishioka helped lead a beautiful family gathering to place the ashes of our founding pastor, Rev. Dr. Robert (Bob) Meneilly, into the ground of our memorial garden. His children, Carol, Rob, and Joy were present along with their spouses and children and grandchildren. Scripture was shared, Joy read a poem, and memories were spoken out loud. We laughed and cried and prayed together. It’s been three years and seven months since Dr. Bob passed at the age of 96. He served for 47 years and led this congregation so faithfully. Village Presbyterian Church is here because of him—and all those faithful ones who served alongside him. 

Serve

Food Pantry & Clothes Closet – We are in need of spring/summer clothing, bed linens, towels, kitchen goods, small appliances, dishes, silverware, etc. Clean, gently used items in good working condition, please.

Emergency Assistance – Village provides rent and utility funds for those in need. If you’d like to give to this ministry, you can donate here. If you know someone in need, or encounter anyone on campus looking for assistance, please advise them to email so they can begin that process.

Engage, Grow, and Celebrate

adult faith formation

Village Forum Class, “Mercy is Entering the Chaos” – 9:30-10:30 a.m., Sunday, March 16, Room 126. Pastor Rick Behrens from Grandview Park Presbyterian Church, Pastora Carmen Flores, and Trinidad Raj Molina will share what is happening in the community regarding the chaos created by the mass deportation currently instilling fear among God’s immigrant children. You will hear about courageous movements happening here and be invited to take action.

Welcoming the Poor, the Outcast, and the Stranger: The Gospel According to Luke and Its Challenge to All Christians – 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays, March 10-31, Heritage Dining Room (230). This series, led by Biagio Mazza, focuses on Christian hospitality, the Eucharist, and how to emulate Jesus’ inclusive love in our daily lives.

Village for Gun Sense (VGS) has been tracking the introduction of bills after the overwhelming response of church members who wrote state legislators in January requesting gun responsibility legislation. Numerous pro and con firearm-related bills have been introduced in both Kansas and Missouri, including secure gun storage bills. VGS continues to communicate with legislators encouraging action that will protect our children. You are encouraged to continue to write, call, or email legislators. Find more information HERE. The current political climate is not favorable to our cause. However, as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we will continue to challenge our leaders to end the gun violence crisis.

music ministry

2nd Thursday Recital featuring Jay Carter, countertenor & Christopher Reames, tenor – 12:15 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Mission Campus Chapel. Please join us for a noontime recital with a short reception afterward in the Welcome Center to meet the artist. Free admission.

Luther College Nordic Choir with Village Choir – 7 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Tickets can be bought HERE or at the door. In addition to their concert, they’ll be leading music at both morning services on March 23 at the Mission Campus.

Presbyterian women

Celebration of Faithful Women – 5:30 p.m. April 8 in Friendship Hall, Mission Campus. All women are invited to attend as we honor the faithful service of Joy Biard, Lisa Harrison, Georgia Klein, Susan Satterlee, and Marvie Sneegas. Registration is open (the event is free).

Children & family ministry

Open Play Time – Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (9 a.m. to noon) bring your little kids and hang out in the comfy Young Adult Room (below the Welcome Center) where we’ve stocked toys, books, and more—and grab a soda or coffee.

Kids Day Out – If your family doesn’t need full-time childcare, but you’d love to give your young child the opportunity to grow, play, and socialize in our nurturing, faith-based environment, KDO is for you. There are spots remaining for the 2025-2026 Kids’ Day Out school year.

youth ministry

Programs on Break, March 16-23 – All youth events will be on hold during Spring Break. Fourteen students plus seven adults will be traveling to the Dominican Republic next week to work near La Romana—bringing compassion, hope, and aid to Haitian sugarcane cutters and their families—alongside our mission partners Light A Candle – Fundación Enciende Una Luz. Weekly programs return on March 26.

young adults

Moms Group – 9-11 a.m. this Wednesday, March 12. Moms and their littles are invited to join on the second Wednesday each month for our new Moms Group. Meet us in the Young Adult space for faith, fellowship, and food. 

Y.A.M. (Young Adut Ministry) Night – All 20s and 30s are invited to join us every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. We’ll enjoy dinner in Friendship Hall, followed by time together in the Young Adult space for games, Scripture, and connection. Come as often as you can—we’d love to have you!

Pastoral care & Counseling

Substance Use: Pastoral Care Mental Health Series – 6:30-8 p.m., this Wednesday, March 12, Rooms 126/127. This session, led by Prairie Sky Counseling Center therapist Ryan Speed, will provide an overview of substance use and its impact with a focus on reducing stigma and promoting understanding. Ryan lost his uncle to substance use. His uncle’s life was marked by struggles but also by profound kindness and love. Open to all.

green tips of the week:

Don’t over dry your clothes. If your dryer has a moisture sensor that will automatically turn the machine off when clothes are done, use it to avoid over-drying. Dry full loads or reduce the drying time for partial loads. And remember to clean the lint trap before every load. *Village Presbyterian Church is a certified Earth Care Congregation.

‘Earthkeeping’ Lecture; A Call to Arms: Protecting Children from Chemicals Causing Disease – 8:30-11:15 a.m. Saturday, March 29 (Mission Campus) with keynote speaker Carey Gillam, in partnership with Grace Covenant Church. Learn more and register here.

New Member Class – Have you joined the church in the last year? Have questions about being Presbyterian? Want to learn more about Village experiences? Join us on Wednesday, March 12, 6:30-8 p.m. in Room 230. Email Carol Solenberger to RSVP.

Annual Congregational Meetings & Lunch – The Village Church Session has called for a meeting to be held Sunday, March 23, immediately after the 11 a.m. worship service (Mission Campus). All are invited to share a lunch in Friendship Hall to reflect on our ministry in 2024, hear a report about the 2025 budget, and our plans for the upcoming year. The Antioch meeting will take place in the Sanctuary so folks can best see and hear all we have to share. Then we’ll move to Fellowship Hall for one of our famous potluck lunches!

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Half a Century of Shaping Little Lives

Like Mother, Like Daughter

One of the many things we love about Village Presbyterian Church is its deep roots. For example, at our Mission Preschool—which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year—we are teaching second-generation students.

Village member Laura Langdon shares, “I have vivid and treasured memories from my days as a Village Preschool student, so it was with an overload of joy and nostalgia that I walked each of my two children down the same hallway and into the very same classrooms of my early years. My children’s Preschool years were filled with just as much warmth, creativity, and love as I remember experiencing as a student. What a dream come true for me to be able to watch them learn and grow in a familiar, trusted, excellent program that has only gotten more wonderful over the years. I will forever be grateful for the utterly positive way my babies first encountered ‘school.’ What better start to their formal education could I possibly want? THANK YOU to the brilliant, loving teachers and directors of this life-shaping program!”

Our giving helps maintain safe and welcoming places to nurture little lives—and adult ones, too! Thank you for being part of the Village Church story.